On June 26-28, the delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Ashot Hovakimian participated  in the OSCE 2018 Annual Security Review Conference held in Vienna.

In his remarks at the opening session of the conference, Ashot Hovakimian touched upon the main factors that shape the overall security situation in the OSCE area, singling out in this regard the lack of progress in overcoming the dividing lines, continued erosion of multilateralism, overt attempts to change military balance.

Ashot Hovakimian underlined that Azerbaijan continuously violates the conventional arms control regime and the OSCE commitments towards confidence and security building. By using force against Nagorno-Karabakh and bellicose rhetoric, Azerbaijan demonstrates its lack of genuine commitment to peace.

Ashot Hovakimian expressed concern over the decrease of the OSCE’s presence on the ground and involvement in the South Caucasus, pointing in particular to the closing of the OSCE Office in Yerevan as the result of abuse by Azerbaijan of the principle of consensus.

Touching upon the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Deputy Foreign Minister reiterated Armenia's commitment to implementation of the agreements reached at the summits in Vienna, St. Petersburg and Geneva on the expansion of the capacities of the office of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and establishment of the investigative mechanism for ceasefire violations. In this context it was pointed out that Azerbaijan refuses to implement these agreements. Moreover, it attempts to enlarge the geographic scope of tension by increasing the military build-up on the Nakhijevani segment of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, therefore assuming the whole responsibility for ceasefire violations and their consequences.

Speaking at the session on Conflicts and Crisis Situations in the OSCE Area, Building Security and Confidence, Ashot Hovakimian noted that for the success of the peaceful settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict the full involvement of all parties to the conflict is important.

Ashot Hovakimian underlined the necessity of creating an environment conducive to peace for the success of the negotiation process. In this context, the Deputy Foreign Minister noted that the OSCE member states should refrain from such steps that could endanger that environment, contribute to the arms race in the region, and undermine the normal work of the agreed negotiation format.

The Armenian delegation delivered remarks also at the session on Arms Control and Confidence and Security Building Measures, calling the attention of the participating States to the cases of transfer to Azerbaijan of heavy weaponry, which take place in a non-transparent manner and in violation of the export control regime, ignoring continuous ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan and its threats to use force.